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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28278582">It Is A Part of Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/One_Lucky_Shot/pseuds/One_Lucky_Shot'>One_Lucky_Shot</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ever After High</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abusive Relationships, Established Relationship, F/F, Physical Abuse, Unhealthy Relationships, Victim Blaming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:28:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,508</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28278582</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/One_Lucky_Shot/pseuds/One_Lucky_Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chiharu and Archer are childhood sweethearts, and seem like the perfect couple on the outside. Despite their family's disapproval, they're in love. Things should be happy. Things should be fine. But something is wrong, and Chiharu can't put her finger on it. It can't be Archer, it just can't be. Archer loves her, so it must be her. Right?</p>
<p>--or--</p>
<p>A fic exploring the abusive nature of the relationship between Chiharu and Archer from Chiharu's point of view and how it develops.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>OC/OC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. “I should have known.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The fic can also be found here: https://everafterhighfandom.fandom.com/wiki/It_Is_A_Part_Of_Me</p>
<p>You will also find links to pages about my OCs, if you want more information.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>“I should have </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>known</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a year since they had last seen each other. It had been a year since Archer had gone to Ever After High. Now Chiharu was attending a year later, and the girlfriends were reunited at last. Both of them were excited and overjoyed. Both of them were glad to be near each other again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And if Archer’s hold on Chiharu felt too tight that it hurt, or the kiss they shared felt possessive and greedy… Chiharu didn’t think anything of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After all, they hadn’t seen each other for a year. It was normal, surely?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s how it went. Chiharu knew that she hadn’t seen her girlfriend in a year, so of course things had changed. There was a new confidence in Archer’s stance, new power in the way she held herself. It made sense. Archer was training to be the hero of their story.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something was just different now. Something just seemed off to Chiharu. But she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Of course things were different. It had been a year, but they still loved each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“I should have </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>left</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The best thing about Ever After High was Chiharu’s chance to make new friends. She loved Jun a lot, and she was glad to have him here too, but she was more than ready to meet other people.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she felt like she never had time. So often she had to turn things down because she was already meeting Archer for a date, or studying with Archer, or going to lunch with Archer. Slowly, she just stopped being invited to things - not that she could blame her classmates. No one wanted to be rejected over and over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a study party that Jun was going to that Chiharu finally decided that maybe she needed to balance her time better. For as much as she loved Archer, she needed friends too. So she cancelled on Archer, apologising, but telling her that she really wanted to make an effort to make more friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t like it when you’re not with me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m just going to study with some classmates. I need more than just Jun for a friend, as much as I-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I just miss you, and want to be enough for you. We’ve been apart for a year.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chiharu still went to the study party, but something had changed in the way Archer spoke to her afterwards. Something had just shifted, and Chiharu had thought it was nothing. Archer had just missed her after a year, and wanted to make up time. She got that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t know when she stopped attending the group events. She didn’t remember when every day became an Archer day. She just knew she hated how sad Archer sounded when they weren’t together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“I should have done </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>better</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chiharu finally acknowledged something was wrong when her arm hurt from Archer’s grip. They’d been arguing, rather publicly too, in the middle of the cafeteria. It was quiet, towards the end of lunch, but stragglers were still around and they were staring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t even remember the argument. She thought Archer had started it, but she couldn’t say for sure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even as Archer pulled, or rather dragged, her out of the cafeteria to give them some privacy, Chiharu couldn’t help but feel like this was wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t argue with me, I don’t like fighting with you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her voice was sweet, but Archer’s words were poison. Her grip tightened on Chiharu’s arm, and she couldn’t help but nod to appease Archer. The grip loosened, leaving angry red marks behind, and Archer pulled her girlfriend into a tight hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m glad you agree.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chiharu didn’t know what to do. She loved Archer. She’d do anything for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“I should have asked for </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>help</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t often Chiharu saw Jun after that. Her roommate steered clear of her too. She was with Archer almost all the time, but she had never felt more alone in the world. She couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>be with Archer, because then she’d be truly alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one wanted to be friends with an angry jerk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“That’s not who you are, Chi.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jun knew who Chiharu was. Sure, she had a temper, and spoke her mind, but that didn’t make her bad. He knew something was wrong, but she would never tell him. He knew that since starting school six months ago, something had changed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure he recognised his friend anymore, but that didn’t make him love her any less.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, as if you know.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A low blow, Chiharu knew it as soon as she said it. Jun hadn’t been the one to pull away - she had. She had left him behind, to learn how to fit in, and make friends without her. It wasn’t his fault they hadn’t been spending time together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was her fault.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“I should have been </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>stronger</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was lost. Jun was no longer around, though she sometimes felt his gaze on her back. Her grades were slipping and it was only the first year. Her classmates didn’t like her, and she was certain she’d caught some of them talking about her more than once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn’t even talked to her mum or younger sister since starting at Ever After High - she hadn’t felt in a position to resolve the argument they had parted on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The final straw was a video call with Kitsuki, her older brother, where he had attempted to at least get Chiharu to talk with Natsumi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She regretted the words she had said, and the mean things she had thought. But she couldn’t handle it now. School was not what she had thought it was, and she was trying to figure out this new dynamic with her and Archer, and it was just… exhausting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was glad to have Archer to rely on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m lost, I don’t know who I am here. I feel like I just don’t exist as </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>me </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>anymore.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re my love, Haru. You’re the one I will always protect. You’re that sweet little girl I fell in love with.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tone was sweet like always, but Archer’s grip on her hands was crushing. The moment should have been romantic, but all Chiharu felt was dread. She dismissed it, suspecting that she was just worried for the future. She didn’t want her whole life collapsing to ruin what they had. She had to get a handle on things again, she had to be better for Archer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“If I lose Archer, I am </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>nothing</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. “I know better now.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Realising that things weren't what they seem, Chiharu found herself struggling with the reality of her situation.</p><p>[TW: Physical Abuse this chapter]</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>“I know better </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>now</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>The words of Archer plagued Chiharu’s mind even after a couple of days. Every time they kissed, they cuddled, or just sat together, the words echoed in her thoughts. The way Archer held onto her hand as they walked down the hallway… It no longer felt like a support. It felt like a ball and chain weighing her down, something she couldn’t escape from because she didn’t know where the key was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was no way to think of someone you loved, surely, so Chiharu berated herself for letting the thought even cross her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until that night, she laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling, feeling more alone than ever. She missed Jun. She missed Natsumi and Kitsuki. She even missed her mum, even if all she’d do was get into another fight about the whole Destiny thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She missed them so much, but it wasn’t easy to repair what had happened. And if she pushed Archer away, who would she have?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except she was reluctant to make up with them all because she felt lost. And Archer… what had it been Archer had said?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That she’d protect her? That she was a sweet little girl? That she was her </span>
  <em>
    <span>love? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Was Chiharu protected though? She didn’t feel protected, she felt like she was in danger to her own thoughts. Scared to even think those thoughts, in case Archer somehow figured it out. But the doubts came, and before long, Chiharu suddenly sat up in bed, not even rousing her roommate - not that she’d care, she barely knew them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu knew something more had been bugging her. She didn’t understand why Archer would have ever described her as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>“sweet little girl”. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Not now, and not ever. She had been a terror of a child, and had grown up to become a terror of a teenager to anyone who dared to be near her and her love of pranks and chaos. She felt her heart break a little as she wondered just one more thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What image of Chiharu had Archer fallen for?</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I couldn’t leave because I was </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>scared</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>With doubt now lodged in her mind, Chiharu found herself constantly scared. She was terrified of Archer somehow figuring out her doubt, maybe mysteriously gaining the ability to read her mind. Chiharu tried her best to control her actions, and pay attention to Archer, but she found her mind wandering constantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Haru!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu jumped, realising she had gotten lost in her thoughts in her effort to think nothing that doubted Archer. Accidentally, she had neglected her girlfriend. She ignored the sting of fear lingering in the back of her mind at the fact that she hadn’t been giving Archer her full attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then that sting became a shout as she looked at Archer, and felt a chill down her spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The expression had only been there for a moment, but it was long enough that Chiharu caught it. Long enough that she realised she’d seen it before, but never paid it any mind. Archer was angry at her, but hiding it behind a sweet smile. Only one thing betrayed her, and that was her eyes. Chiharu couldn’t help but stare, noticing Archer’s eyes had remained hard and cold - another thing she had neglected in the past, she was sure, even if she couldn’t remember.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“S… Sorry, Archie.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu winced internally at her own voice, but externally placed a sweet smile on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Something’s obviously bothering you. You should tell me.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Except Chiharu couldn’t. She noticed the way Archer’s fingers tapped impatiently on the table, waiting for an answer she would definitely not like. Chiharu was letting a lie leave her mouth before she fully realised why she was doing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s just my classes. I’ve been falling behind. I should probably go do my homework, sorry Archie.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Archer’s eyes narrowed, just ever so briefly, and Chiharu knew that her girlfriend hadn’t bought the lie - but somehow telling the truth was way more terrifying. She excused herself quickly, trying her best not to look as though she was running away from Archer.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I did my </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>best</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu couldn’t help but feel as though her doubts had made everything worse. Before them, they were happy. She wasn’t scared of Archer, and her girlfriend... they were in love, right? She couldn’t even be confident in that anymore. The more she thought about the past year, the more she realised that perhaps Archer had never been happy with her. That Chiharu had been blind to something else there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t figure it out though. It should have been simple. They were in love. But then why was Archer in love with her? Why was Chiharu scared of Archer? Why isn’t Archer letting go of her when she’s hurting Chiharu’s wrist right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re lying to me, avoiding me, running away from me! How do you think this makes me feel, Chiharu?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sorry!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu didn’t know what else to say. She had lied. She had avoided Archer. She had run away from their time together. She had done all these things, because she was scared of Archer and what she may do when she realised the doubts Chiharu had. She was guilty of exactly what Archer had said.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It hurts me, Haru! I love you!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re hurting me!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Because you’re not listening!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu struggled against Archer’s hold, far too weak compared to her girlfriend to get away. Archer’s response was to simply grip tighter, and Chiharu couldn’t hold back the small cry that escaped her lips. Archer easily grabbed Chiharu’s shoulder with her other hand, making it impossible to put distance between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re scaring me!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The room became quiet, as Chiharu continued to struggle, before a moment passed and suddenly she found her face pressed into Archer’s chest, trapped by her arms. Chiharu wished she could say she was being comforted by this; she wished she could say she felt safe. But instead, she felt like she was in a prison, finally coming out of the pleasant haze that had clouded everything, replaced with the reality of it all. But she still didn’t know where the key was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she let Archer hug her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You just need to listen to me, and it’ll be okay. You’ll be happy. We’ll </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>both </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>be happy.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu finally realised that she had been poisoned all this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I asked for help when I was </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>ready</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Something shifted between Chiharu and Archer in the former’s second year. Their time together over summer was less than pleasant, and Chiharu regretted being unable to back out of going to her girlfriend’s family home because of fear. She threw herself into her efforts to listen to Archer, obey her, and do everything in her power to keep her happy so that maybe, just maybe, they could go back to how things were before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A harsh reminder slapped Chiharu in the face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A crack sounded through the room as her head snapped to the side as she faced reality once more. They couldn’t ever go back. No matter how much work or effort Chiharu put in; she would never be </span>
  <b>enough </b>
  <span>for Archer. It would just get worse. And she was right. Once the line had been crossed once, Archer found it easier to keep doing it over and over. Chiharu lost count of how many injuries she had to hide. She felt every hit chip away at her strength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no one to turn to. She was alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Archer would look at her lovingly. Stroke her cheek. Hold her close. Chiharu felt sick with herself for crying in her arms, but she was so broken, and so tired of being scared.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“We’ll be okay, Haru, I promise. We’ll be okay.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu knew that as long as she stayed with Archer, she’d never be okay. She was just waiting for her way out. Something. </span>
  <b>Anything. </b>
  <span>She found her key when Archer had left a bruise on her face, and she realised that her classmates didn’t hate her. She’d been made to attend the Shapeshifters’ Society as a way to help her make friends, but she thought she’d sabotaged the opportunity at the start of the year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had simply stopped caring, and yet… she found herself crying in front of these classmates who shouldn’t be concerned for her. Who shouldn’t be supporting her. She wasn’t their friend. And yet that was exactly what they did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was thanks to them that she realised what she had to do. Walking down the hallway to the other dormitories, she tried to find the someone she needed to apologise to. Her eyes caught his, and they both paused for a moment, in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Jun opened his arms, with a smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu didn’t hesitate to run to him and throw herself into his chest. She didn’t care about people staring, or that she was covering Jun’s top in tears. All she cared about was that he hadn’t even hesitated to give her a hug. He knew exactly what she needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m… I’m so, so s-sorry, Jun…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“There’s nothing to forgive. I’m sorry for not reaching out first.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hah! As if that’s your fault. I was the one who pushed </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>you </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>away.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu glanced at Jun, tilting her head up just a little, and she felt safe. She was relieved. The world didn’t seem so small anymore. She still felt like Archer was dragging her down, but she didn’t feel like she was carrying the weight alone now.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I am not to blame.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m going to kill her.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu knew Jun would be mad; but she had to tell him. He deserved to know what was going on with her, and she was a little afraid of what she was about to do. She took a deep breath, and reached over to thread her fingers through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“As much as I appreciate you wanting to protect me, I need to do this myself. Also you can’t just kill people.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“She’s hardly a person.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu felt a sting in her chest. It should be simple. Archer was abusing her, so why should she care what Jun said about her? But nothing was ever simple.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“... Once upon a time, she was a person I loved. She made me feel whole. Safe. Loved in return. I thought we were meant to be. I thought screw Destiny, she’d be a widow afterwards, so she could just marry me instead. Then… I took the Destiny. For me, nothing changed between us. I still thought screw Destiny. She’d just have to unseal me afterwards so I could come back, you know? I… I’d like to believe that there was once a good person in her. That I once loved something good. I don’t want to believe that I loved… I don’t know what she is anymore, but I have to believe that she’s still a person, because I don’t think I could handle knowing I loved a monster.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jun went rigid in front of Chiharu, but didn’t turn around. Chiharu was glad because she wasn’t sure she wanted to see his face right now. She knew she was making excuses for Archer in her head, but she had to believe this for now. If she didn’t, she was sure she might break entirely. She was already so cracked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“... Sorry.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s okay.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>With Jun at her side, Chiharu felt like she had the strength and courage to leave Archer. She wouldn’t admit it yet, but she was ashamed that people knew what she had gone through; guilty that she had stayed for so long. But she had to focus on what was important at that moment, and that was breaking up with Archer. She couldn’t start healing until she did that, so she arranged for them to meet up in an unused classroom after school the next day. She didn’t come alone, leaving Jun outside so he could support her if needed, but she hoped that it would be unnecessary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It started off calm, Chiharu explaining that they were breaking up. Archer simply pleaded quietly, and Chiharu tried her best to keep calm and say no.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I won’t hit you again.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Here’s the thing, Archer, you should never have hit me in the first place.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“But I love you…!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Do you? Or do you love some false Chiharu that you’ve built up in your head? I was bright, I was fierce, I was strong before. You took all that away from me, and I’m done. I’m leaving and I’m taking everything you took from me back.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t you dare!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu tried to hide her flinch at the rage-filled tone, and escape the room before things could escalate but she felt Archer’s nails graze her wrist before latching on. The nails dug in, and Archer twisted her arm behind her back, bending it just a little too much. Chiharu gritted her teeth in pain to prevent herself from crying out and alerting Jun. This was her fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She meant what she said. She was taking everything back.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Let go of me.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She bit out as viciously as she could. She pushed past the terror that had settled in her chest, and took deep breaths to try and keep herself grounded and still.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No. Not until you listen to me! I love you! I’ve stayed by your side! I’m the only one who really cares about you! I’m trying to protect you!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re the one who I need protecting from… And I can protect myself!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu’s voice stayed low until the end, and she let her fire flow over her body, which wouldn’t injure Archer, but it would definitely sting a little. It was enough for Archer to back off and let go, and as Chiharu turned around, she saw Archer stare in disbelief at her as if she never expected Chiharu to fight back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no more words for her ex, she had made her point. They were through. She spun on her heel, and walked away and never looked back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had taken the first step. She had opened the cage at last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chiharu was still in pieces, and a little chipped and cracked; and some things that Archer had broken would never be the same again. She had regained something important nonetheless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had regained herself. Herself, but different.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It is a part of me, and that is okay.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
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